A complex research of modern children’s «school maturity»

About the authors:

Nailya Z. Bakieva, Cand. Sci. (Biol.), Senior Lecturer, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Vital Activity Security, Institute of Psychology and Pedagogics, Tyumen State University
Nadezhda N. Grebneva, Dr. Sci. (Biol.), Professor, Head of Department of Biomedical Sciences and Vital Activity Security, Institute of Psychology and Pedagogics, Tyumen State University

Abstract:

The article draws on a complex research of cognitive functions and readiness for school (“school maturity”) among 6-7-year old children, which has been conducted in Tyumen. Special attention is paid to the estimation of quantitative and qualitative indicators of intellectual working capacity as an integral indicator of functionality of children's organism. It has been proved that quantitative indicators of girls’ working capacity are higher in comparison with boys’ working capacity, which is connected with their earlier morphological and functional brain structure maturity, which is responsible for the formation of cognitive functions. Among the surveyed 6-7-year old children only 10% demonstrate a high level of school readiness. School adaptation is accompanied by stress of physiological functions; therefore, school enrollment of 6-year-olds deserves special attention since they have the lowest indicators of “school maturity”, especially boys, who get tired sooner and more, and achieve satisfactory academic performance at a higher physiological “price”, which has a negative impact on their health.

References:

1. Bezrukikh, M.M. Functional development of the brain, cognitive activities and training in pre-school and Junior school age. Novye issledovaniia — New studies. 2009. № 2 (19). Pp. 8-9. (in Russian).

2. Kuindzhi, N.N. The functional readiness of their child for school: a retro-perspective and relevance. Vestnik RAMN — Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Bulletin. 2009. № 5. Pp. 33-37. (in Russian).

3. Aizman, R.I., Zharova, G.N. Gotov li rebenok k shkole? Diagnostika v eksperimentakh, zadaniiakh, risunkakh i tablitsakh [Will the child to school? Diagnostics in experiments, tasks, figures and tables]. Moscow, 2006. 208 p. (in Russian).

4. Grebneva, N.N. Ekologo-fiziologicheskii portret sovremennykh detei i podrostkov v usloviiakh Tiumenskoi oblasti: monografiia [Ecological and physiological portrait of modern children and teenagers in conditions of the Tyumen region: Monograph]. Tyumen, 2006. 240 p. (in Russian).

5. Bakieva, N.Z. Antropo-fiziologicheskaia kharakteristika i «shkol'naia zrelost'» sovremennykh detei s uchetom individual'nykh osobennostei razvitiia (Avtoref. diss. kand.) [The anthropo-physiological characteristics and "school maturity" modern children, taking into account individual peculiarities of development (Extended Abstract of Cand. Sci. (Biol.) Diss)]. Chelyabinsk, 2012. 22 p. (in Russian).

6. Paranicheva, T.M. Funktsional'noe sostoianie organizma i adaptatsionnye vozmozhnosti detei 4-6 let v protsesse razvivaiushchego obucheniia (Avtoref. diss. kand.) [Functional state of organism and adaptation-current capabilities of children 4-6 years in the process of developing education (Extended Abstract of Cand. Sci. (Biol.) Diss.)]. Moscow, 2007. 21 p. (in Russian).

7. Lischer, A.I. Features of development of memory in children 5-10 years. New studies. 2002. № 2. Pp. 84-89.

8. Zhang, Y., Liu G., Guo Y., Xiao Y. Zhongguoertongbaojianzazhi. Chin. J. Child Health Care. 2006. V. 14. № 2. Pp. 207-208.

9. Qin, Y. Zhongguoertongbaojianzazhi. Chin. J. Child Health Care. 2006. V. 14. № 3. Pp. 228-230.

10. Yan, S., Teng, H. Zhongguoertongbaojianzazhi. Chin. J. Child Health Care. 2006. V. 14. № 3. Pp. 226-228.